More than 200 climbers have reached Camp 2 and they are likely to begin their summit push on May 21. Pemba Tashi Sherpa became the third casualty of the season on the world’s tallest peak. Shutterstock
A 27-year-old climbing guide Pemba Tashi Sherpa died on Everest on Tuesday morning, becoming the third casualty of the season on the world’s tallest peak.
He fell into a crevasse between Camp 1 (6,065 metres) and Camp 2 (6,600 metres) while descending.
Mira Acharya, director of the Department of Tourism, told the Post on Tuesday that Pemba Tashi’s body has been brought to Lukla and will be taken to his hometown in Sankhuwasabha on Wednesday. He was working as a climbing staff for TAGnepal Trekking and Expedition Company.
On May 13, an American and a Swiss climber died on Mt Everest reportedly due to exhaustion while descending from the mountain.
The number of Everest climbing permits issued this spring—408—is an all-time high since Everest was first conquered in 1953, and with each climber hiring at least one climbing guide, the number of total climbers is estimated to be over 800.
On May 7, twelve sherpas who fixed ropes to the top of Everest became the first climbers to summit the mountain this year, making it the earliest spring climb in two decades.
The first good weather window opened on May 11 and 12 when more than 150 climbers reached the summit.
“The second window was forecast for May 20-21 but a new report on weather forecast has shown a good weather window for May 22-23,” said Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks, Nepal largest expedition outfitter.
According to Gyanendra Shrestha, the government’s liaison officer stationed at the Everest base camp, based on the earlier forecast, more than 200 climbers have reached Camp 2 to begin their summit push on May 19 .
“As the weather forecast has been revised, they [climbers] will spend an additional day at Camp 2, one day at Camp 3 and another day [on May 21] at Camp 4 before they begin the summit push at midnight.”
On Monday, the Department of Tourism alerted mountaineers trying to summit different mountains about the potential risk of a strong Tauktae cyclonic storm that originated from the east-central Arabian Sea.
"We have told the climbers to remain on alert about the risk and take precautionary measures," said Acharya. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has warned not to conduct any expeditions from Wednesday to Friday.
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